The Instruction to the Kalamas

Translated from the Pali by Soma Thera

Note: Bhikkhu Bodhi's essay,
"A Look at the Kalama Sutta", offers some important
insights into this sutta, clarifying some points that have recently become muddled in
various contemporary teachings.

(The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha)

1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in
the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town
of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The
Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the
Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The good repute of
the Reverend Gotama has been spread in this way: Indeed, the Blessed One is thus
consummate, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower of the
worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of divine and human beings, which he by
himself has through direct knowledge understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in
the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of meaning and the letter,
and complete in everything; and he proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing
such consummate ones is good indeed."

2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went
to where the Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to him and sat down on
one side; some exchanged greetings with him and after the ending of cordial memorable
talk, sat down on one side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on
one side; some announced their name and family and sat down on one side; some without
speaking, sat down on one side.

(The Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the
Buddha)

3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting
on one side said to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmins, venerable
sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines
of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmins too,
venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines;
the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is
doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and
brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

(The criterion for rejection)

4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be
uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go
upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor
upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious
reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon
another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas,
when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things
are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,'
abandon them.

5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in
a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." --
"Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by
greed, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another
too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable
sir."

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a
man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." --
"Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate,
this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to
do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable
sir."

7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear
in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." --
"Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by
delusion, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts
another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes,
venerable sir."

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good
or bad?" -- "Bad, venerable sir" -- "Blamable or not blamable?"
-- "Blamable, venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --
"Censured, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these things
lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" -- "Undertaken and
observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."

9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said
thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon
tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an
axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been
pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The
monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad;
these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed,
these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

(The criterion for acceptance)

10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been
acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a
scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a
bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor
upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know:
'These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the
wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and
abide in them.

(Absence of greed, hate, and delusion)

11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of
greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable
sir." -- "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not
vanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit
adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be
long for his benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate
appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable
sir." -- "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not
vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit
adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be
long for his benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."

13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of
delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit,
venerable sir." -- "Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not
overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does not take life, does not
steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do
likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable
sir."

14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things
good or bad?" -- "Good, venerable sir." -- "Blamable or not
blamable?" -- "Not blamable, venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised
by the wise?" -- "Praised, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and
observed, do these things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike
you?" -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness.
Thus it strikes us here."

15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said
thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon
tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an
axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been
pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The
monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good;
these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and
observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'

16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in
this way is devoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly comprehending and
mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the
second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells,
having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the
entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or
malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of
compassion, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so
above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all
living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
compassion that is free of hate or malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of
gladness, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so
above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all
living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
gladness that is free of hate or malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of
equanimity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so
above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all
living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
equanimity that is free of hate or malice.

17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has
such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a
purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found here and now.

"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit,
result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body
after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of
bliss.' This is the first solace found by him.

"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no
fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from
hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second
solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I,
however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no
evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer.
Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.

"The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has
such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a
purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found."

"So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The
disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a
malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here
and now, four solaces are found.

"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit,
result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body
after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of
bliss.' This is the first solace found by him.

"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no
fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from
hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second
solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I,
however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no
evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer.
Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.

"The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who
has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a
purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found.

"Marvelous, venerable sir!
Marvelous, venerable sir! As if, venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is
upside down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost or to
carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who have eyes will see visible objects,' so
has the Dhamma been set forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to
the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for
refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for
refuge for life, from today."